‘It’s a very small building, but it’s very rich,’ new Hill space opens with Sir John A. Macdonald Building addition
There’s some new square footage available on the Hill with the new addition to the historic Sir John A. Macdonald Building, which includes a multi-purpose room and was designed to be a contemporary, modern match to the main heritage hall, say architects involved in its design. “It’s a very small building, but it’s very rich,” said David Clusiau, […]
Record-setting snowfall in Ottawa wreaks havoc for MPs
Liberal MP Ali Ehsassi’s week is off to an unconventional start, after he was delayed by a few hours flying in from Ottawa to Toronto yesterday morning due to the monstrous snowstorm that hit central and eastern Canada. The delay was an inconvenience for him, he says, but it really affected the MPs who were […]
Record snowfall
Canada’s military summary trials are frozen in time: Drapeau, Juneau
OTTAWA—Military summary trials are ancient, outdated, and unfair—and they are insulated from judicial scrutiny. Immediate reform is necessary to this system of “justice,” not only to strengthen our military justice system, but to bring it in line with traditional Charter-protected rights and values, and to catch up to the modernizations that have already swept across […]
Senators say they’re frustrated by slow pace of Senate reforms
Frustration is bubbling up in the Red Chamber about the slow pace and lack of progress on reforming the Senate, as another Senator quit their caucus last week to sit as an Independent—becoming the third from both parties in the last three months—and it appears more might do the same. “Obviously, frustration exists with many Senators,” said […]
Wellington Building to open in September, to include new Library of Parliament branch
It’s been taunting us for nearly six years. But the House will finally get possession of the $425.2-million newly-renovated Wellington Building at the beginning of May, with the building to be in use by September. Furniture is already being moved into the space, which will include 70 MP offices, 10 committee rooms, and a new […]
My quest to identify the 528 men who rebuilt Centre Block
OTTAWA—When I saw this amazing photo of the hundreds of men who helped rebuild the Centre Block after the 1916 fire hanging on a wall just outside the washrooms in the basement of Irene’s Pub in Ottawa’s Glebe neighbourhood, I was in awe. So I returned a few days later to find the man who had put it there. I […]
How the 1916 fire of Parliament opened a half decade of fiery debate, parliamentary change
Fire destroyed the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings on the night of Feb. 3, 1916, leaving only the Library of Parliament intact. The next day, as the burned shell stood coated in ice from the fire brigade’s hoses, the House of Commons met at the Victoria Memorial Museum, now the Canadian Museum of Nature, […]
Legislative primer: here’s what you need to know
PARLIAMENT HILL—MPs return to Ottawa after a six-week break since they met briefly in December and they finally get down to work, three months after last fall’s surprising majority election win for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals. Here’s The Hill Times’ primer on what to expect on some of the major policy files in this session. Legislative […]
Politics This Morning: MPs return to House, debate throne speech
Good Monday morning! After a six-week break over the holidays, MPs return to the House today to start the 42nd Parliament in earnest. MPs will continue debating the throne speech today, which outlines the government’s priorities for this first session of Parliament. With low oil prices and a weak dollar, the economy will be a […]
